Just arrived on the Hemmings bookshelf is Turn Left at the Pacific, John Macartney’s account of his 2009 coast-to-coast journey by 1973 Triumph Stag to raise money for PTSD treatment and research.

Longtime readers of the blog will recall our earlier posts on John’s adventure, which covered 17,866 miles in the United States and Canada and took 69 days to complete. All the while, John, a native and resident of England, was keeping a diary of his trip, in which he recorded not just the experience of that day’s drive, but his encounters with American and Canadian culture.

His observations are uninhibited, and frequently hilarious. We learn about his run-in with a North Carolina state trooper (to whom he delivered a tongue-lashing!), his first encounter with a Walmart (impressed), his views on American dietary habits (generally disapproving) and many, many more topics. John, like his father, was an employee of Standard-Triumph, and those experiences frequently come to the forefront in his meetings with the Triumph enthusiasts who welcome him along the way.

John visited 46 British car clubs in 31 states and 6 Canadian provinces (and stopped by the Hemmings home office, too), and generously mentions each one and their contributions to his undertaking. The book contains much, much more: there’s a chapter on the Stag’s restoration, written by the lead restorer, Joe Pawlak of the Illinois Sports Owners Association, and much background on post-traumatic stress disorder, which John developed while working in Iraq. In fact, there’s virtually no aspect of the trip, from idea to planning to execution to aftermath, that’s not covered in this book’s 316 pages, which are filled with hundreds of color photographs.

This is a wonderfully warm-hearted and entertaining book, and anyone who’s ever dreamed about making a similar transcontinental trip in a vintage car owes a debt of gratitude to John for sharing the experience in such an engaging way. The book is perfect bound, and priced at $40, plus postage. To order a copy, visit Standard-Triumph Books.

7 Responses to “The tale of a trans-American Triumph trip”

Terrific! If I were employed (or if I obtain employment), I would like to buy John’s book – especially for such a worthy cause.

Although my primary car interests are full-sized Mopars, I did own one sports car in the 1970s: a 1971 Triumph Stag, which was fun to drive. Ironically, I live in Illinois, and the car John used is registered in Illinois (great license plate – “Trans-America Stag 1″).

My Stag also was a left-hand drive American version, 4-speed manual. I might have bought another if Triumph had not discontinued the Stag after the 1973 model year. I did have a Chrysler New Yorker concurrently, so as a typical American I had my beloved “tank” to drive, also.

I had an opportunity in 1996 to drive a right-hand drive Jeep Cherokee with a 4-speed manual, and I found it difficult to become accustomed to shifting with my left hand, even though I’m left-handed. I’ve observed that U. K. residents adapt to American vehicles and “driving-on-the-wrong-side” roads far more adeptly than the reverse.

As we live so close to Europe, the average Brit doesn’t have much trouble in driving on the other side of the road in a car that’s left or right hand steer. As long as the brakes are good for driving in France and the brakes and horn are outstandingly excellent for driving in Italy, it ain’t a problem

I have relatives in England who have advised me similarly of their abilities to drive without difficulties in other countries, including America. I would love to visit England some day — but I cannot imagine my driving while there.

I can’t wait to receive the book, because I’ve ordered 3 (one of them is going into the club’s library). I was on the ride for a couple of stops & met some great people. I’m hoping that some of the money will be going to the PTSD. I, & most people, found John to be a true English gentleman &very down to earth. I’m looking forward to when the DC’s come out of the rides in the Stag across the land.